F & W: Why Crescent Lake Resorts?

[gmi3804]

I understand why Crescent Lake resorts were so sought after during F & W in the pre-Pandemic past, but with the new always-a-festival reality at Epcot these days, why are these resorts still so popular at that time? Force of Member habit? Muscle memory? There really aren't the special events anymore that made F & W so wonderful; it's mostly just the same old food booths that are available during any other festival at any other time of the year. So what gives? Is it really important anymore?

 

[PalmettoPath]

For us that location is for proximity to two parks. Never has anything to do with what festival may or may not be happening. But we're still primarily MK resort loop folks anyway.

 

[gmi3804]

For us that location is for proximity to two parks. Never has anything to do with what festival may or may not be happening. But we're still primarily MK resort loop folks anyway.

I get that. So why is Sept-Nov still the most popular time of year for BWV and BCV?

 

[Marrila]

I understand why Crescent Lake resorts were so sought after during F & W in the pre-Pandemic past, but with the new always-a-festival reality at Epcot these days, why are these resorts still so popular at that time? Force of Member habit? Muscle memory? There really aren't the special events anymore that made F & W so wonderful; it's mostly just the same old food booths that are available during any other festival at any other time of the year. So what gives? Is it really important anymore?

It doesn't sound like staying in the crescent lake area is important to you. The nice thing is there are lots of other options around WDW.

 

[gmi3804]

It doesn't sound like staying in the crescent lake area is important to you. The nice thing is there are lots of other options around WDW.

I wasn't asking about me. I was wondering (it's all there in the first post) why they remain more popular during that time period.

 

[erionm]

F&W is still incredibly popular and being able to walk to Epcot is a huge plus.

 

[gmi3804]

F&W is still incredibly popular and being able to walk to Epcot is a huge plus.

So what differentiates F&W from any other Epcot festival? Time of the year?

 

[Ronaldo17]

Location, walking distance to two parks and access to skyliner from Epcot and DHS.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I like some of the different aspects of each of the festivals but the crescent lake resorts are a hit for us for easy transport options to Ep/DHS and they're nice resorts. Has nothing to do with festivals at all. They definitely aren't inexpensive but when you compare them to MK monorail resorts and those prices, the lower cost and location keeps them competitive. But by no means are they cheap. We usually end up at S/D since they're cheaper and not that much further than BW/YC/BC. Plus, walking/boat to two parks is a bigger benefit than walking/boat to only MK so for us, it's more options, more flexibility.

 

[gmi3804]

Does no one understand the question? It's not about why people like these resorts. It's about why staying here during F & W is still more popular than other times of the year.

 

[Sandisw]

So what differentiates F&W from any other Epcot festival? Time of the year?

All the festivals are a little bit unique and I think F& W being the one in the fall when whether is cooler and can be combined with the Halloween parties continues to make it pretty popular.

I prefer F & W to the others, Though Festival of the Holidays is a close second

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

All the festivals are a little bit unique and I think F& W being the one in the fall when whether is cooler and can be combined with the Halloween parties continues to make it pretty popular.

I prefer F & W to the others, Though Festival of the Holidays is a close second

I think this is exactly right. January (arts festival) is crowded for MLK weekend but otherwise the kids are in school and Florida can be kind of cold in January. We were just there for the tail end of the flower festival and it was HOT. Fall weather is a great compromise, plus the Halloween party and Jersey week in November.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

And w/r/t Crescent Lake vs a MK resort, personally I have decided that I want to do a MK resort for a few days for MK and maybe AK (because everything needs transportation there), but otherwise I strongly prefer BC or Riviera for Epcot or HS. I hate taking the monorail from MK to Epcot. It took more than an hour last time and I have decided never again.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Fall Frenzy is Fall Frenzy, even beyond F&W. Fall Frenzy has never been solely a byproduct of F&W.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Point costs? They are raising the points for that time, but points and weather are two reasons.

Plus, I like the Halloween tie in.

For the 4th of July the wait time for Skyliner was over an hour even a half hour after the fireworks ended. I was going home to BCV, and the end of the Skyliner line extended way beyond the back entrance to BCV. I heard the CM say they would keep the Skyliner running till everyone was back at the resort. To me, that’s an extra reason to consider BCV and BWV as the most convenient of the Epcot resorts.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Does no one understand the question? It's not about why people like these resorts. It's about why staying here during F & W is still more popular than other times of the year.

There are more festival dates in a year than non-festival dates, there are only 6 weeks in 2023 that don't have a festival. So in reality, are those 6 weeks down in resort stays? That's nothing when you think of the fact that over 46 weeks a year is a festival at Ep. But to answer your question, it's convenient and a killer location.

 

[LadybugsMum]

My kids are on a year round school calendar and our travel does not depend on going for specific festivals. They have breaks in late Aug/early Sept and late Nov/early Dec; so it's a perfect time for us to go and have a split stay between VGF and BWV to be close to 3 parks.

 

[Best Aunt]

I understand why Crescent Lake resorts were so sought after during F & W in the pre-Pandemic past, but with the new always-a-festival reality at Epcot these days, why are these resorts still so popular at that time? Force of Member habit? Muscle memory? There really aren't the special events anymore that made F & W so wonderful; it's mostly just the same old food booths that are available during any other festival at any other time of the year. So what gives? Is it really important anymore?

Alcohol.

I always thought people wanted to stay at Crescent Lake resorts during Epcot's Food & Wine Festival so that they could easily walk back to their hotel if they had too much Wine.

 

[disney-inspired]

I think F&W is a fan favorite because of all the food options. I think there are more than other festivals. But in addition to that, lower point costs for DVC members and less crowds.

But if you're talking about regular hotel rooms at BC, YC and BW. They are smaller, deluxe resorts with multiple modes of transportation.

For me personally, I often travel in late summer/fall because of the lower crowds and to me the location can't be beat when my favorite park is Epcot.

 

[Skywalker3]

DH prefers F/W to the other festivals. I usually prefer F/G, but this past 2 festivals, have to agree with him that F/W offered more booths, and more food options that we prefer, and the F/W options were overall cheaper. Concerts are about equal. We like to travel in the fall, and are still tied to the school calendar, and have been travelling to Orlando for fall break for many years, even before we really started appreciating F/W. Kids' fall break fall around Columbus day, so that's when we travel. Our home resort is BWV. We value location, and the options to walk to parks, so we stay at BWV majority of the time. So with the school schedule the way it is, DH preferring F/W over the other festivals, our now enjoying Halloween activities more in Orlando, (HHN) and wanting to walk to Epcot and HS, it all makes sense for us to stay at our home resort of BWV for F/W in October.
(our other 2 primary travel times were Thanksgiving, and soon after kids are out of school in May/June, so a lot of why we go when we go is the school schedule. It's a little better weather for us in Oct, and we're ready for a getaway then)